Dynamic Dining postponed for Oasis & Allure

[Clarea]

Good morning! I have friends sailing on another ship at the moment, and the rumor is going around that Dynamic Dining is now being removed from Quantum, with the source quoted as Cruise Critic. I have not seen this posted anywhere, so my question is, has anyone heard this?

 

I think there may be confusion with DD being postponed on Allure and Oasis. :rolleyes::eek:

 

Karen

I have not heard that one yet Karen.

[travelgoddess1]

I have not heard that one yet Karen.

 

I suspected that was the case, but I promised to ask. :rolleyes: Rumors have such a way of morphing, don't they? :)

 

Karen

[tapemann]

RCCL offering people more choices is good. ( They are trying to keep up with NCL) The bad part is having to make Reservations and seating with other new people. To meet on the cruise. If you only want a table for 2 or 4 fine. But is you want to sit at a 10 top and meet others DD doesn't work. Also most people like an early or Late seating. People that don't take MTD. Just expand the Menu. The smaller Dining rooms does cut down on the noise level so you can hear people at your table talk.

[RocketMan275]

RCCL offering people more choices is good. ( They are trying to keep up with NCL) The bad part is having to make Reservations and seating with other new people. To meet on the cruise. If you only want a table for 2 or 4 fine. But is you want to sit at a 10 top and meet others DD doesn't work. Also most people like an early or Late seating. People that don't take MTD. Just expand the Menu. The smaller Dining rooms does cut down on the noise level so you can hear people at your table talk.

 

Actually, I believe most people would rather eat between 600 and 730 which are after early seating and before late seating. It was this preference that caused the long wait times for tables on Quantum since a large number of people showed up at these times. The early and late seating serves to regulate the flow of people into the dining rooms and were not selected to match peoples dining preferences.

 

Good point about the smaller dining areas reducing the noise level. Why ask for a 10 top when you can't hear others talk?

[howaboutacruise]

Sorry I'm not a seasoned cruiser but what is the difference between Dynamic Dining and My time dining?

[Clarea]

Sorry I'm not a seasoned cruiser but what is the difference between Dynamic Dining and My time dining?

My Time is in the main dining room and has the same menu as traditional dining, a different menu each day.

 

Dynamic is in 3 or 4 different themed restaurants, each with the same menu every day. I have heard that they may change the menu once during the cruise, but I'm not sure if that has been implemented. There is no traditional dining option when a ship has Dynamic.

Edited January 23, 2015 by clarea

[MADflyer]

Reports from the current 12 day sailing of Quantum are that American Icon, Silk, the Grande and Chic have now added several daily menu specials in addition to the standard menus and the 'simple tastes menu'.

 

This adaption to Dynamic Dining seems to have been very popular with some and seems to be a good addition to the steps that have already been taken to improve the Quantum dining experience.

 

While they still have a way to go, it is great to see them making progress on every sailing, if they are to introduce DD on Oasis and Allure later in the year.

[Dave85]

While they still have a way to go, it is great to see them making progress on every sailing, if they are to introduce DD on Oasis and Allure later in the year.

 

 

Agree 100%, I'm feeling much more encouraged by the week seeing them work at improving the product. They will eventually get it right... Or at least as right as they can given the space constraints.

 

 

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[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Reports from the current 12 day sailing of Quantum are that American Icon, Silk, the Grande and Chic have now added several daily menu specials in addition to the standard menus and the 'simple tastes menu'.

 

This adaption to Dynamic Dining seems to have been very popular with some and seems to be a good addition to the steps that have already been taken to improve the Quantum dining experience.

 

While they still have a way to go, it is great to see them making progress on every sailing, if they are to introduce DD on Oasis and Allure later in the year.

 

This is great to hear! Im very glad that Royal seems to be making an effort to improve DD. Lets just hope they get it as perfect as possible before implementing it on other ships.

[johug]

Excuse my ignorance please but we have not been on a cruise since 2012. What is Dynamic Dining?

[Clarea]

Excuse my ignorance please but we have not been on a cruise since 2012. What is Dynamic Dining?

 

http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Quantum/14037847_QN_Class_Culinary_FAQs.pdf

[kevinax]

We just got off the Quantum of the Seas and really enjoyed Dynamic Dining. We loved the variety of restaurants and the different ambiances in each restaurant. We loved that we could eat with our group of friends or in a smaller group and that we could eat when and where we wanted. They seem to have gotten a lot of the bugs out and I am sure by the time they roll it out on Allure it will be working flawlessly. I would much prefer this than having a MDR where I am required to eat at the same time every night with the same group of people. Although having the same waiter is nice, they can make a profile so anyone waiting on you knows your tastes and I do believe that is ultimately how it will work.

[poncho1973]

Although having the same waiter is nice, they can make a profile so anyone waiting on you knows your tastes and I do believe that is ultimately how it will work.

 

This is a concept that seems lost on most people. Waiters have notes. They don't remember all of your preferences because you are the most special person in the world. I'm sure SOME waiters remember more than others and that SOME guests are more memorable than others.

 

But, as a general rule, the waiters have notes on people when you see them day after day. "Oh, Mrs. Johnson likes tea and extra sugar packets." "The Sampson kid is allergic to peanuts." "Mrs. Howell like to stir her coffee with the diamond-crusted spoon."

 

In 2015 those notes are easily transferred to another waiter electronically. The waiter doesn't have to physically deliver a sheet of notepaper to another new waiter.

 

Whether you get a good waiter or a bad is still up to chance... but the concern "OH NOES!!!! THE WORLD WILL END BECAUSE MY BESTEST FRIEND I'VE EVER MADE IN MY LIFE (Ernie from Samoa) WON'T SERVE ME AND NO ONE WILL REMEMBER ALL OF MY PERSONAL LIKES & DISLIKES LIKE ERNIE DID!! HE LOVES ME PERSONALLY AS MUCH AS HE LOVES HIS OWN FAMILY, THAT'S WHY HE KNOWS I LIKE DIET COKE!" sort of goes out the window.

 

They know more about you from the "What's your stateroom number?" question when you check-in at the entrance than a waiter could ever hope to remember.

Edited January 28, 2015 by poncho1973

[travelgoddess1]

We just got off the Quantum of the Seas and really enjoyed Dynamic Dining. We loved the variety of restaurants and the different ambiances in each restaurant. We loved that we could eat with our group of friends or in a smaller group and that we could eat when and where we wanted. They seem to have gotten a lot of the bugs out and I am sure by the time they roll it out on Allure it will be working flawlessly. I would much prefer this than having a MDR where I am required to eat at the same time every night with the same group of people. Although having the same waiter is nice, they can make a profile so anyone waiting on you knows your tastes and I do believe that is ultimately how it will work.

 

Thank you for the encouraging news. I'm glad to see RCI responding as quickly as they have to the initial problems. I hope that by the time DD reaches Allure and Oasis, the system will be functioning well. :)

[kevinax]

I would think that is why they are holding off so they can make sure it is done right since they have had some problems on Quantum. It is a change and many people resist change but if you go with an open mind you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

 

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[Ocean Boy]

This is a concept that seems lost on most people. Waiters have notes. They don't remember all of your preferences because you are the most special person in the world. I'm sure SOME waiters remember more than others and that SOME guests are more memorable than others.

 

But, as a general rule, the waiters have notes on people when you see them day after day. "Oh, Mrs. Johnson likes tea and extra sugar packets." "The Sampson kid is allergic to peanuts." "Mrs. Howell like to stir her coffee with the diamond-crusted spoon."

 

In 2015 those notes are easily transferred to another waiter electronically. The waiter doesn't have to physically deliver a sheet of notepaper to another new waiter.

 

Whether you get a good waiter or a bad is still up to chance... but the concern "OH NOES!!!! THE WORLD WILL END BECAUSE MY BESTEST FRIEND I'VE EVER MADE IN MY LIFE (Ernie from Samoa) WON'T SERVE ME AND NO ONE WILL REMEMBER ALL OF MY PERSONAL LIKES & DISLIKES LIKE ERNIE DID!! HE LOVES ME PERSONALLY AS MUCH AS HE LOVES HIS OWN FAMILY, THAT'S WHY HE KNOWS I LIKE DIET COKE!" sort of goes out the window.

 

They know more about you from the "What's your stateroom number?" question when you check-in at the entrance than a waiter could ever hope to remember.

 

Again, the cruise lines are very good at creating the illusion that you are the most important person that has ever walked aboard one of their ships and when you do board you are coming home. People do not think about, or care about, the fact that the ship has done many cruises before you stepped aboard and it will do many more after you leave. The fact that many people feel just as you wrote in your post is a tribute to the great job that RCI does in drawing people into the world that they try very hard to create.

[travelgoddess1]

I would think that is why they are holding off so they can make sure it is done right since they have had some problems on Quantum. It is a change and many people resist change but if you go with an open mind you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

 

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We actually experienced DD on a 2-night pre-inaugural sailing in November, which was not at all representative of a normal cruise, but we enjoyed what we were able to do during the short period onboard. And we did go with an open mind. :)

[baman]

But again they want to have that autism rating. And thstvtype of person needs consistent things. Also to have to deal with that sucks the changeing will be s nightmare. The only thing that went right was the dining. I don't think they r my friend or don't disagree about there notes it just majesvit easier on my family. To have something that us the same. I sn all for dining in different restaurants every night without the autistic person. But they come with and the reason we choose rccl is because they are one ofvthe only with this title. So as long as i get the same server in the same dining room with different menus i don't care what happens around me. I will be scheduling my dinners so we have our schedule. Again that is a thing we must have. So we wat at the same time as to not stir the pot. But its called reservations. And i am fine . Just think of the status they wanted to have. snd now they are not doing what they set out to do. My rant as many say.

 

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[FLACRUISER99]

I just checked my reservation for Oasis 1/2/16 that did read DD and it's now changed back to "Dinner Seating: Traditional Dining 08:30 PM , No Waitlists"!

[kevinax]

My reservation for Allure 3/16 shows my time dining no wait lists

 

 

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[wolfganghowell]

Our reservation on 11/7/15 is now back to Traditional as well. When they "postponed" DD, we were at MTD. Crazy.

[Folk Singer]

I just checked my reservation for Oasis 1/2/16 that did read DD and it's now changed back to "Dinner Seating: Traditional Dining 08:30 PM , No Waitlists"!

 

 

Interesting.

[TubbyMrT]

I'm not sure why DD is such a hard thing for people to grasp. It is similar to the way most fine restaurants operate. Make a reservation. Simple. No reservation is fine if you want to wait in line.

 

Perhaps the problem is that they need to open earlier to spread the demand over more hours.

 

Also due to capacity limits they can not afford to have any restaurant that people hate or there will be wasted capacity. For best results, each should be designed to attract one share of the crowd. Good luck with that when different cultures are on each sailing.

[RocketMan275]

Again, the cruise lines are very good at creating the illusion that you are the most important person that has ever walked aboard one of their ships and when you do board you are coming home. People do not think about, or care about, the fact that the ship has done many cruises before you stepped aboard and it will do many more after you leave. The fact that many people feel just as you wrote in your post is a tribute to the great job that RCI does in drawing people into the world that they try very hard to create.

 

Along those lines, folks should remember that the crew makes their living off pleasing the passengers. Rather than getting so excited about members of the crew telling you that DD is going away, one should always consider that the crew may be telling you what they think you want to hear to make you happy and happy passengers are more likely to tip well. I've had many friends in the service industry and it was always informative to hear what they really thought about their customers and the manipulative tricks they played.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

I'm not sure why DD is such a hard thing for people to grasp. It is similar to the way most fine restaurants operate. Make a reservation. Simple. No reservation is fine if you want to wait in line.

 

Perhaps the problem is that they need to open earlier to spread the demand over more hours.

 

Also due to capacity limits they can not afford to have any restaurant that people hate or there will be wasted capacity. For best results, each should be designed to attract one share of the crowd. Good luck with that when different cultures are on each sailing.

 

It's not that people can't grasp it...they understand it, but don't like the idea because they like the MDR experience.